Frank wright



(No Model.)

I WRIGHT I COIN PREED FLUID METBR APPARAT US. No. 557,929.

Patented Apr. 7, 189 6.

was.

Java e5 7? NlTED STATES 5 ATENT OFFICE.

COIN-FREED' FLUID-METER APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,929, dated April 7, 1896.

Application filed December 3, 1895. Serial No. 570,938. (No model.) Patented in England January 19, 1895, No. 1,325; in Belgium November 21, 1895,1lo. 118,458,- in Hungary December 10,1895,No.4,880; in Austria December 16, 1895,1111.

4,908/45, and in Italy December 24, 1895, LXXIX, 16.

To all whom it mayooncern:

Be it known that I, FRANK RIGHT, gasengineer, a citizen of England, residing at No. 21 Old Queen Street, Westminster, London, in the county of London, England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coin Freed Fluid Meter Apparatus, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, dated January 19, 1895, No. 1,325; in Belgium, dated November 21, 1895, No. 118,458 in Austria, dated DecemberlG, 1895, No. 4,908 45; in Hungary, dated December 10, 1895, No. 4,830, and in Italy, dated December 24, 1895, V 01. 79,113,) of which the following is a specification.

In the specification of my Patent No. 548,494, dated October 22, 1895, I have described coin-freed fluid-meter apparatus in which a wheel with holes through it is caused to revolve by gear connecting it to the counter of the meter, taking with it successive coins introduced by a slot and discharging them into a receptacle, and in which the opening of a valve for the supply of fluid to the meter is effected when a coin or one of several coins is pushed into a hole of the wheel by a plunger, this mechanism determining the delivery of quantities of fluid equivalent to the value of the coins which pass through the holes of the wheel.

My present invention relates to a modified construction of the coin-freed apparatus, as I shall describe, referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a part elevation and part vertical section showing the condition of the apparatus when it is put in action by introduction of several coins. elevation and section showing its inactive condition when there are no coins present. Fig. 2 is a part elevation and section taken on a plane at right angles to that on which Figs. 1 and l are taken.

L is a cylinder having in its side a slot Z for admitting a coin or a number of coins successively under a heavy plunger Z, which has to be raised by hand when a coin is to be introduced at Z, and which when let go presses down the coin or coins. The lowest of these are prevented from rising again by a pair of Fig. 1 is a similar part.

head m which is pressed up by a lever carrying an adjustable load m keeping the valve .m closed. Under the cylinder L is fitted a sliding plate K, having through it a hole 7. for the passage of a coin. A cross-head p, attached to the plate K, has a slot in which is engaged a crank-pin P projecting from a Wheel Q. This wheel, when the meter is in action, is driven from the counter-spindle of the meter by gearing, so adjusted that for every complete revolution of Q the quantity of gas of the value of one coin passes through the meter.

When the plate K is in the position shown in Fig. 1, with its hole immediately under the cylinder L, should there be no coin in the cylinder, the head m of the valve-stem stands up through the hole of K into the lower part of the plunger Z, which is hollow, and the valve m being closed no gas can pass to the meter, which therefore remains inactive; but when a coin is introduced at Z, or several coins successively, and the plunger Z let down, as shown in Fig. 1, it presses the coin, or the lowest of several coins, into the hole of the plate K when the hole is in line with the cylinder, thus pushing down the head m of the valve-stem and opening the valve m, so that gas passes to the meter, causing it to act, driving the wheel Q. The plate K is thereupon caused to slide to the left, taking with it the coin, which, at the end of the stroke, dropsinto a shoot S, leading to a receptacle for the coins. The plate K, during its return stroke to the right, keeps the valve no open until its hole 70 comes again under the cylinder L. If there is no coin there, the valve m IOO vention and the best means I know for carrying the same into practical effect, I claim 1. In coin-freed fluid-meter apparatus, a sliding plate adapted to be reciprocated by gearing connecting it to the meter-counterand having through it a hole the size of a coin on the one side of the plate a stop-valve for the fluid closed by a loaded lever, and on the other side of the plate a hollow plunger in line with the valve-stem, all so arranged that when no coin occupies the hole as it faces the plunger, the head of the valve-stem stands up through the hole, the valve being closed, but when a coin is pushed into the hole extruding the valve-stem, the valve is opened, the plate is allowed to reciprocate, the coin drops into a receptacle, the valve is kept open and the meter continues to work until the hole of the plate coincides with the cylinder having no coin therein substantially as described.

2. The combination of a casing or cylinder having a lateral coin-slot, a plunger working longitudinally in the casing or cylinder and adapted to be moved to uncover the coin-slot, a reciprocatory slide supporting the coin inserted under the plunger and having an orifice for the passage of a coin when the latter registers with said orifice, means whereby the slide is moved lengthwise to shift a coin, and a valve having a stem adapted to enter the orifice in the slide to permit the valve to close, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 18th day of November, A. D. 1895.

FRANK WRIGHT.

Witnesses: I

OLIVER IMRAY, J NO. P. M. MILLARD. 

